Alouettes sign former Argos, Ticats QB Jeff Mathews

Mathews was cut by the Toronto Argonauts days before training camp was about to begin.

He played in four contests and started one game for the Argos last season but lasted just 30 minutes, throwing for 67 yards on eight-for-12 passing, taking two sacks and losing a fumble. He was replaced at halftime by Cody Fajardo and did not see the field again in 2017, registering 10 straight DNPs to end the season.

Mathews started five games for the Tiger-Cats in his rookie season in 2015, posting 1,458 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. He played in one game in 2017, against Montreal, where he completed 18 of 29 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown.

Quarterback problem solved! LOL
It’s as I previously stated about what could be expected. Really, what viable experienced starting quarterback is sitting around without a team?? That’s the sound of crickets.

Willy will be the starter in Montreal. This move won’t change that.
If the Alouettes want to develop a quarterback for the future, maybe they shoukd look in their own province? Hugo Richard. He put up excellent numbers in USports.

The list of Canadian quarterbacks who have played in the CFL isn’t that large, but the number of French Canadian QBs is far smaller, just one: Luc Tousignant one year with the Montreal Concordes in the 1980s.

Weird how they keep signing unathletic quarterbacks in the general “Calvillo Mold”. Setting up a triumphant coaching return the the Alouettes fr AC, after yet another pathetic season? Doubt the Wetenhall braintust ever gave up on their Calvillo obsession. Nope. That’s due for another go-round once Sherman is ejected.

Matthews is yet another pathetic QB reject from other programs.
Meanwhile Cato is sitting home doing nothing, and Adams Jr. will end up on another team. Kavis Reed must really hate this team, fans and city to inflict such damage on the Alouettes.

What a surprise. Another anti-Anthony Calvillo post from you. Dude is not even in Montreal anymore, yet you are still blaming him for everything that has gone wrong there.

Just as perplexing is the assertion that Montreal is in error for giving up on Rakeem Cato and Vernon Adams as starting quarterbacks. Last I checked, no CFL team has offered so much as workout to Cato since Montreal dropped him. With a position change in Hamilton, Adams is now not a CFL quarterback either.

And I certainly agree w nostre about Cato. He was an excellent second string qb. When he came in off the bench he always moved the ball. Over time with proper instruction and coaching could’ve been a starter in the league. But Als were not prepared to invest in him. He still the most accurate passer to have come through that town since AC

The inexperienced no contacts down south GMs like Kavis Reed will kill this league. All Kavis is doing is signing everyone else’s free agents. The only things he finds down south are old retired coaches as well as nfl cast offs. The more GMs like Kavis the worse the talent pool will get.

What people do not get is that QB isn’t a position that counts for the ratio. Why waste a spot on a Canadian, when a talented import can take it’s place and not count for the ratio. I am not saying Canadian players aren’t talented, because guys like Bridge and Sinopoli is gold, it’s just there is different talent and depth for other positions like DT, O-line, typically safety, kicker, and special teams.
Although it would be nice to see the day come where it’s a league of Canadian QBs again, it’s unrealistic when you have bigger guys and no chance at competing against many americans who succeed in NCAA compared to CIS. It’s nice, but they can not live up to the training, the size, and even the player they go against.

R: I realize that the Quarterbacks don’t count as part of the ratio of Canadians, but they should still be given a chance because this is Canada, not the U.S.A. Besides, as of next season, it’s expected that they WILL count as part of the seven starters. It just has to be collectively bargained. The CBA expires st the end of this season.

As for Canadians at Quarterback, I seem to recall that Canadian Gerry Datillio was far, far better than former Los Angeles Rams starter Vince Ferragamo. Datillio was a starter with both Montreal and Calgary and was the east nominee as Most Outstanding Player one season. So, how do we know that guys like Richard, Noel Picton and Christian Strong won’t do just as well, unless they get to show how good they are?

The argument might be a different story if all of the American quarterbacks coming to the CFL were of the quality of Johnny Manziel or Colin Kaepernick.
But do you really believe that we couldn’t develop guys that are better than Jeff Mathews, Antonio Pipkin, Garrett Fugate, Bryant Moniz, Ricky Stanzi, Danny O’Brien, Alex Ross and the many other mediocre Americans that DO get lots of
opportunities?? I don’t believe that.

I understand that, and when their time comes, I support that, but at the moment, it is not the time for Canadian QBs to shine. I do hope Picton has a fair chance, and Bridge becomes a starter over Calleros, I still believe at the moment all team will stick with Americans. Brandon Bridge stand out above all those backups, but for now, the only positions that Canadians have a fair and perfect time at is at Safety, SB, FB, OL, DT and possible LB for certain player like Muamba.

I would love to see the day where hometown guys win cups for the city because more than anything I love franchise players that are loyal to their city and fans as they are to their team, and do many things to get the community involved and into the CFL. At the moment though, a couple teams are struggling of even having or keeping a healthy starting INT QB, and GMs and Head Coaches are more concerned about winning games and cups rather that depth in areas like QB in Canadians.

The time will come one day, because in my opinion, I trust CIS training and coaching has been improving. They need a fair chance to learn from pros and elites like Ray and other QBs as well as slow training to have the abillity to go against veterans and more experienced guys. Too bad Buckly didn’t workout because he was really improving, but he alread knew Bo was gonna be kept for as long as possible, and it was the smart decision financially and for personal goals to pursue his dreams of going to med school, and can’t blame him for that.

Read where Mike Sherman LOVED B.J. Danials who was just cut lose by the Riders ? At least Danials went thru a training camp vs Matthews went to nobodies after being cut lose by the Argos. Makes no sense this signing in my opinion.

Sadly, it seems to me that this will once again be a season to forget. Mike Sherman is a good coach and Khari Jones is an experienced coordinator but everyone who knows a little about football knows the importance of the QB. Unfortunately, that glaring need was not filled in the offseason by the GM. Although this team is very talented, it just isn’t enough to win games on a consistent basis.

ETG:
I agree. Luc Tousignant actually played way more than most first year quarterbacks do, but he was released after his rookie season and never played again.
His stats weren’t overly impressive, but he played on a very bad team, so it’s hard to get a read on him.
Just remember, Anthony Calvillo wasn’t even close to the A.C. he became during his first four or five years in the CFL. What if they gave up on him after a year or two?

Tousignant played at a Division 2 school called Fairmont State (I believe it was), where he set records.
He was so impressive, that he got drafted by the Buffalo Bills. In fact, he’s one of just five Canadian quarterbacks to get drafted in the NFL. The others were Jesse Palmer, Mark Rypien, Eric Guthrie and Dan Feraday.

It’s too bad that Tousignant didn’t get to stick around and improve in the CFL. Countless American quarterbacks ARE afforded that opportunity though.
It’s also too bad that this issue is still a problem over 35 years later. Canadian Quarterbacks should have the same chance to play in the CFL as Canadian players at other positions get. That would be the fair… and smart thing to do.